West
by Puki
Summary: Now Takato is divided between two towns and two friends, with equally opposite views....
1. Ordinary Day?

A/N: Some things I want to make clear to make sure you have as little doubts as possible. First, since it is after the D-Reaper business things have gone back to how they used to be, everyone goes to the same school, etc. Now, I have made it a Rukato and even though at the beginning it may not seem so, I am basing myself on information given in ep. 49 and that it is grammatically correct. Anyway, let me tell you this, everything will be explained in due time.  
  
West  
  
(Here we find our characters in the classroom we all know)  
  
"Three months have gone by, however nothing has changed, compared to what changed in the past time before these three. To many all this time might have gone by as any ordinary months that come and go do. You see, what happened 3 months ago does not happen to many, but many know about it. Now, I'm making a tongue-twister out of this, what I'm talking about is that phenomenon that occurred in Shinjuku when those eight brave warriors, US. . ."  
  
Up to this point Kazu had been happily narrating to all that would listen, Takato had been hearing him for the most of his speech occasionally eying Jury who was situated to his right. She seemed to be oblivious about this as she simply chatted to her sock puppet and little group of friends. Was there something still there?  
  
"Oh, peh-leese, Kazu you barely sat on tankmon and watched the others fighting and saving. . . whatever it was they were saving" one of the listeners blurted out, some of the gathered students agreed with him.  
  
"That's what you think, huh?! You and your poor little ignorant mind! If you did not know I helped the Ryo Akimaya, that's right, saved him when he digivolved with cyberdramon you should 'of seen it, he was soooo cool! And I saved him, and he thanked me and. . . ." He never finished his sentence when a short woman with braided hair and BIG THICK eyeglasses entered the room, quite suddenly.  
  
"Class, attention please. . . thank you, I am Mrs. Wagabula, your current teacher couldn't make it today" she spoke in a soft and even wise voice. "We will start by studying the amazing and interesting world of.MATHEMATHICS" A groan extended itself throughout the class, except for some rare student(s) that were going somewhere in life and thought 'Good we're gonna learn!'  
  
"Now if I have a number and I..." The rest was a monotonous blur that sounded like a foreign language. Takato looked down at his open notebook and remembered when it was once full of sketches of his best friend. . . Guilmon, it had been three months, just like Kazu had said.  
  
After class and the detention he received for forgetting what class he was in, Takato decided to go for a walk in the park. Actually, It wasn't really a walk; it was a dash to Guilmon's old hideout. As he rose through the rocky steps he heard a twig crack behind him, but when he turned around he saw no one. Deciding to ignore it and continuing towards the cemented shed Takato noticed a radiance coming from the hole he once used to get to the digital world 'It can't be' he thought as he leaned over it. . .  
  
"Who are you?" A very familiar voice asked. As Takato turned around he confronted a boy about his age, his same eye color. . . and hair. . . it. . . he was identical "You. . ." The boy pointed at Takato, this caused Takato to loose balance, which caused him to fall back, which eventually caused him to fall in the hole. The 'other' Takato popped his head in the hole as it got smaller and smaller. . .  
  
***  
  
It wasn't long 'till he landed flat on his face.  
  
Soon the only sensation he could feel was pain, yes, it was unbearable, it extended throughout his body like a wildfire, as well. As he tried to move he realized he was on a wooden floor, a very dusty wooden floor to be precise. And, as Takato opened his eyes he also took notice that his face was on a paper, a paper with a drawing of a face on it, a very familiar face actually, a hard-rock face, someone not to mess with, he knew that from experience but this was really out of the picture. In a glance the flashed words read 'wanted, half dead or alive'.  
  
Well. . .that was short, shorter than expected. . .he. . . so. . . um. . . R&R. . .=)? 


	2. The Others

On a recount of last chapter, we left Takato in the dusty floor of a weird dimension (X-files music plays) . . .with a paper on his face and don't we want to know what it says?  
  
West  
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*  
  
Ch. 2 - The Others  
*  
*  
  
As he stood up, he took the paper and read:  
  
Wanted The Digimon Queen and her Outlaw Gang  
  
Reward D$10, 000  
  
His jaw just dropped . . .Outlaws? Digimon Queen? It had to be another person . . . Though to his surprise when he looked at the picture it was . . . indeed Rika with a black cowboy hat and suit, on each of her sides were . . . well, Kenta and Kazu also in cowboy outfits with a smirk that would make you believe they were twice as smart, and, behind each of the tamers was their correspondent Digimon.  
  
Takato couldn't believe his eyes, when he looked up from the paper he met a nummemon gazing at him. The nummemon was sitting in a rocking chair and was wearing a little white hat to match his size, a red bandana around his, 'neck', if you will, and a tiny gold star pinned to his bandana, which read: Sheriff Ass. (It's short for ASSISTANT you pervy people)  
  
"Gives ya the willies aren't it? Yep but let me tell ya somethen' if I ever meet face to face with that 'Queenie' hah" he let out a small crackle and proudly looked down at his golden star.  
  
"I'd give her a lesson, hash, hash" Takato looked at him weirdly doubting this to be true, then looked around him to find himself in the balcony of a small wooden house.  
  
"Listen... you... you must be mistaken; they're not bad, they're my friends..." Big mistake.  
  
"What!? You, they, friends?! And I thought you a nice young laddie!!! Hands up hoodlum' why .those freakish clothes of yours said somethin'!!" He shrieked and, as from nowhere he prepared to throw a spitball at him.  
  
"AHHHHHHHH" shrieked Takato in disgust. "Aright kidder, time's up..." But at that moment a catastrophic mix of braking glass, some yelps and what appeared to be mini explosions interrupted him.  
  
"Why those gangsters!!" The sheriff ass. nummemon cried as he and some other fifty that just appeared, sped of in the direction of the noise, which happened to be the southernmost part of the town.  
  
Takato, without any hesitation followed the odd little group, and as they got there he saw some people standing in the middle of the road just gazing into the same direction in which Takato was running.  
  
"Sheriff Henry sir, did those buzzards strike again?" The nummemon sheriff ass. asked concerned. The people started to turn around as the cloud of dust indicating the attacker's departure started to clear.  
  
Takato stopped as if frozen; did he say 'Sheriff Henry'?? As the person in the middle turned around, it was definitely Henry Wong in a common white cowboy suit, Terriermon on his head and a big large golden star on him that stated 'Sheriff'. Jury and Ryo were next to him with cyberdramon on Ryo's side .what, wait!! Ok this was just a bit too freaky! Jury was smiling and Ryo had a confident smirk on his face while the Sheriff just smiled joyfully until he came upon Takato.  
  
"I SEE DEAD PEOPLE!!!!!" Terriermon cried horrified, for he had spotted him too.  
  
"What it, it can't be... Ta, Takato?" Henry started coming towards him, Jury covered her mouth with her hand and Ryo's jaw dropped; they just stood there petrified.  
  
"My God, Takato, we thought you were long gone!"  
  
"Yeah after what those outlaws told us, we thought we'd never see you again, how they must have tortured you and made you ware those awful clothes!" Jury said looking at him.  
  
"Long gone, tortured?" Takato gulped. And, ok so his clothes weren't the latest fashion but that didn't make them lame either and he was getting this from someone in a cowboy outfit? But this was surely the time to neglect that thought.  
  
"What do you mean? Where am I?" He had the feeling these people weren't the Tamers he knew. ('¬.¬ Nah)  
  
"Shame, It altered his memory" Ryo said sadly shaking his head.  
  
"Huh? Listen, I don't know who you are or why I am here but . . . the last thing I remember is that I was at Guilmon's hut and my clone pushed me in the hole and I fell from the sky..." He stopped to look at the astonished faces.  
  
Jury started shaking her head felling a bit worried about her 'dislocated' friend. Taking some breath Takato came up with the most reasonable explanation at that moment.  
  
"Ok, think that I am not the Takato you think I am and you aren't the 'you' that I think you are, I know it sounds confusing but my memory has not been altered!" Takato said nervously glancing at Ryo who just squinted.  
  
"Well, let's talk it over shall we?" Henry suggested, pointing at one of the wooden houses.  
  
***********Meanwhile**********  
  
In their hideout; the largest house in town, a different town that is, a large structure worthy of a highly ranked person-a sheriff-. That is where our "outlaw" gang lies.  
  
"Gee Chief-o, they're getting better, we gotta admit they're really getting better, next time they might even get us..." Kazu was saying laying back on his chair on their little meeting.  
  
"Is that supposed to be funny? Because let me tell you this, since they got Ryo after the Matsuki boy disappeared, we haven't won a single battle and let me remind you whose fault that is?" said Rika as she bolted up from her chair and smashed her fists on the table.  
  
Kazu and Kenta gulped and looked at each other. Kenta fixed his glasses and continued: "Yes, but, you couldn't beat him either, don't blame it on us" Kazu totally agreed on this, Rika didn't seem happy with his defiance. "Well then come up with the solution egghead!!" She then stood up and stormed out of the room.  
  
When they were sure that she was nowhere close they started they're own little conversation.  
  
"Just great, what'll we do now?" Kazu asked fribbling with his hair. "Precisely" Kenta stood up; in his 'I have an idea' pose "I have an idea!! All we have to do is get the real sheriff's assistant ya know, Takato." Kenta nodded in agreement with himself.  
  
Kazu didn't look too pleased "Ah. didn't he disappear or something?" Kazu asked unsurely. "That's the reason they got Ryo in the first place, If we bring him back we won't have to worry about Ryo anymore!!!" Kenta yelped joyfully Kazu had finally understood.  
  
"Yes, yes now all we do is tell boss-o our solution, gee, you really are an egghead!" He said taking it as a compliment and patting Kenta on the back receiving a cold-blooded glare.  
  
As they were about to get in action, Rika stepped in the room, she didn't seem as raving as before, yet sighed at the sight of them. "Well thank God at least I have a well functioning brain and have come up with a plan."  
  
"Oh, but egghead here and I have a plan too!!" Kazu said in a matter-of- fact way.  
  
"Ok you drop the name and you, I mean Boss, I have come up with a plan!" Kenta bragged, he coughed loudly and continued: "We must find Takato Matsuki, return him to the Sheriff that way Ryo will no longer be needed and shall leave, and we will have our way on the highway!" Kazu had been nodding with every word Kenta had said while Rika buried her face in her hand; her eye was twitching with annoyance. She raised her head to speak.  
  
"And, just, where, oh brainfull one, shall we find Matsuki? I mean we couldn't just go off in a wild crusade to find him could we? I mean where to start? The plains? The beach? . . . . . . I've heard Mountains are nice!!" She ended up quite irritated and scowling at both. Kazu just looked at Kenta whose self-esteem was evaporated.  
  
"So this is the real plan, what we do is use the elements of surprise and time, we will attack early in the morning that way..." She stopped in awe to see Kazu sitting in his chair raising his hand as high as he could, kinda like a little kindergartner. 'Pathetic, just pathetic' annoyance wasn't the word she was looking for, more like infuriation.  
  
-Yes?- -Um, when you said early just how early?- -Quite early.- -Exactly?- -Agh! Around 3:00 am- -3:00 AM!!! But, but.- -We'll be sleepy!- Kenta burst in.  
  
"Well, what a freken' shame!!!" Why, oh why did she put up with these idiots no, idiots was too much for these *beeeep*!!! (wanna keep it PG people) She stood up; she didn't need them dead, for now. "I'll, I'll be out for a while" She said in a deadly tone. She had to go outside to get some fresh air and reprise her anger with an innocent rock or something.  
  
As she went out she passed Tankmon and Marineangemon who where on duty and playing cards (which was very difficult for tankmon couldn't grab a card and Marineangemon just threw bubbles at them). A few paces later she was met by Renamon who was in one of her famous poses with her eyes closed, and as she opened them she made one of the worst questions possible.  
  
"Troubled?"  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
At least longer than the last chapter, so I guess most of you already know why this story is called 'West' (except for the s-l-o-w people out there). Up to now I believe many questions are popping in your head. ¿What is this place? ¿Why is he there? ¿Who are these people? ¿What about the 'other' Takato? ¿Will we ever find out many others answers as well? I already know these enigmas, at least most of them...okay some of them. But as I have said before it will all come in due time. But, I do not leave you in infinite suspense, no! I leave you on a mission, the exiting task of . . . reviewing, yes! Do so please! I only want 5 for this cahppie. (But, hell, if you want to put more, I mean, flourish yourselves reviewing! Good for you!) 


	3. Kidnapd' by mistake

I just wanted to say something "quick" to Black:

Thanks for your review! To your hypothesis, no and yes, you see, Kenta proposed that they should find Takato and give him back to Henry, they do not know that he is 'returned' even though It's not the same one. Rika dismisses the idea and forms yet another plan, something to do with attacking in the morning, this does not involve kidnap. However their plan goes wrong. As you see, this chapter's name is 'kidnapped by Mistake', why? Because you somehow read my mind o0...

It was important for everybody to know that.

In the last chapter...

. . . . . . .A few paces later she was met by Renamon who was in one of her famous poses with her eyes closed, and as she opened them she made one of the worst questions possible.

"Troubled?"

We interrupt this scene, for health matters

Yes, that was the last chapter, oh, Rika also has a plan! (DADADAN) and Takato is having an interesting conversation.

West

Ch.3- Kidnapped by Mistake

"So, I disappeared?"

"Yep, about a month ago, we thought you were gone for good"

"Without you, we were way outnumbered by the Digimon Queen and her gang, until Ryo came along and since then they haven't won a single battle" Jury assured, Ryo just nodded.

"But, why do they attack you?" Takato had that question in his mind for a long time.

'Well she has nerve! After what she did, accusing us, and still wanting to steal our cards!' Was pretty much engraved in everyone's minds (well, except Takato's who has absolutely no idea about anything). "Who knows? That Digimon Queen, quite fearless, but I think she has a few things wrong" Jury responded with a sigh.

"Well as aggressive as Rika _is_, I don't think she would just go around attacking people randomly" Now everyone was really staring at him weirdly.

"Ri...???" Ryo started but Henry covered his mouth hastily.

"_Well_, for now _that's_ all. We better get some sleep, tomorrow we must be ready for an attack!" Henry broke in with a nervous laugh and still clasping Ryo's mouth both exited. Jury stayed behind as Ryo made the co-coo sight pointing at Takato.

A smile spread through Juri's face "I'm glad you're back" and she stepped close and hugged him, this caused Takato's cheeks to grow red, she then released him, turned around and sped out the door without looking back. Takato just stared a bit dumbfounded, things couldn't be that bad

Muahahaha, If only he knew... that night a red creature eating bread haunted his dreams, but all memories of this erased the next morning...

Next Day (Around 3:50 AM)

A long-lasting sigh escaped Kazu, as he stared at rivaling town. He was soooo sleepy; he and Kenta were just fine until Rika had poured a bucket full of freezing-cold water on them.

Flashback

"Come on useless! It's already late!" to this they bolted up unhappily.

"LATE, IT'S DAWN, NO, BEFORE DAWN!!!!...huh...oh, it's you boss-o...he, he" Kazu realized to whom he was talking to.

Rika didn't look so happy (-- unhappiness is becoming common when referring to Rika). They hastily "got up'n'ready to roll"(I KNOW lame phase sorry for trying), Kazu got on tankmon, and Rika mounted a now digivolved Kubimon followed by Kenta that got on behind her.

End Flashback

"All right losers, do yourselves a favor and don't screw-up... again"

Back to our nummem'n'bandana city (W00T, lot's of lame goen' on 2-day!)

Takato was sleeping heavily in a very dusty inn offered by Henry (as you can guess run by a nummemon), that is, until some tremendous ruckus outside woke him up. He could hear some voices in the distance. Putting on his shoes, and securing his trustworthy goggles on his head, which were the only things he took off before going to bed (he utterly refused to use that red-woolen 'pajama'), he decided to go check it out.

As he exited the inn, he noticed some commotion far to the north of town. Some people riding a...he couldn't make it out in the distance It... looked like a giant fox because of a bushy tail...?... But it was hard to tell. On top of it, a thick shape was flying, both were running away from Henry and the others (he told them those p.j.'s were ridiculous) and towards where he was. Suddenly, the giant fox got covered by nummemons and dropped down, but the rider was fast and jumped off it before it hit the ground. He noticed this rider carried a bag under one arm and was covered in dark clothing except for his red bandana.

"Hey you big fellow!!" A nummemon squeaked up to Takato.

As Takato looked down, the tired-stricken nummemon handed him some handcuffs as he panted heavily. He was one of the ones who tackled and was blown off the creature, and it didn't seem to be an easy task. Jumping back to reality Takato took the handcuffs and hurried to meet the mysterious runner.

He tackled him and to make sure he wouldn't escape, he hastily tied one side of the handcuff to the rider's hand and one to his own.

"What's your problem?!" the struggling runner jerked his head, to reveal, he wasn't a he, he was a...she (well, you get the picture) and not just any she...

"RIKA!!!!" Taketo jumped up pulling her too because of the handcuffs, revealing her spiky ponytail, as her hat was throw back.

"Don't call me that! My name is the Digimon Queen and I am to be feared!" Rika bragged out proudly pointing at him. She was surprised to see that Takato didn't seem too afraid. She raised an eyebrow, in fact, he was looking at her as if they were long-lost friends. He chuckled; she gazed at him, no one reacted like that in front of her. Immediately a Tankmon landed next to them, quickly Rika threw the bag to the rider.

"Take it! Where's the Egghead?" Rika asked as she tore her eyes towards Kazu.

"Um...well" Kazu looked back "He'll make it"

"Could you ever be more helpful" she said sarcastically "Just go!!"

Kazu sped off into the rising sun, and Rika followed him dragging Takato behind, who stopped "You...who are you?" she asked trying to continue her escape.

"Why, I'm Takato, you know, your friend??" He answered tiredly, knowing it would be useless, but still searching for at least the slightest bit of the Rika he new in her... he got more that what he asked for.

"A pathetic creep like you wouldn't be my friend"

Kubimon, carrying Kenta, had blasted free and landed next to them before Takato could answer. Kenta was having a hard time as he was partially covered by nummemons. "C'mon chief they're getting on our heels" he stated in a muffled voice as he removed a nummemon that was sticking to his face.

Rika looked back at Henry that was followed by all the other tamers, their Digimon and half the population of nummemons. At this, Rika pulled Kenta off by the collar and got on Kubimon herself... the thing is, Takato hadn't. Kubimon started dashen and, well, Takato started runnen.

"Hey! Wait! What are you doing! Stop! Let me get on!!" Takato screamed being pulled from his wrist by the handcuff and running as fast as he could.

"I ride by myself, thank you" Rika replied coldly.

Trying his luck Takato jumped, and by a miracle was able to launch himself on Kubimon's back. It was rather uncomfortable because of the handcuffs; Rika noticed it too.

"To hell with the keys, I'll have Renamon blast'em and it'll be on your side!!" She said quite frustrated.

Takato accomplished the acrobatic performance of sitting, unfortunately on the wrong side. Trying not to fall down he looked up to see a huge pink bubble and to Takato's relief Kenta was in it with Marineangemon...he seemed knocked out and had a green substance in his glasses.

Then, in a flash of thoughts pumping to his head Takato became aware...what was this place? Who were they...what was going on in this strange location and his REAL tamers? And, for first time he questioned, Guilmon? There certainly was one of him in this world too...right? Now the sun was really beaming. Did they know where Guilmon was?

He sighed in relief when they started to slow down as they got to a group of wooden houses...this was a town. Rika got off and naturally Takato was pulled off too. Kubimon de-digivolved back to Renamon and walked to his side, and Kenta who landed with a 'thud' and crooked glasses was dropped from the bubble.

"Who's this?" Renamon asked sternly pointing at Takato.

"Oh, just an idiot who handcuffed us" Rika responded, not very pleased.

"Shall I destroy him?"

"No!" Kenta barged in, fixing his glasses "You're Matsuki!!!"

"I think we know that" Rika stated quite annoyed.

"No, remember my plan?? Now that we have him we can use it!"

"_Aha_, and what was your plan again?"

"To return him so that Ryo goes away?"

"Exactly, so, there is no point in returning him! He was already returned, and, did Ryo go away?? NO"

Kenta started rubbing his chin and thinking for a while. Rika sighed and Takato just stood there paralyzed, Renamon was looking at him in a very creepy manner. (-- Perverted people!!!)

"Where's Guilmon?" he asked determined, no one was paying attention to him, he pulled his handcuff, Rika turned to him with a glare.

"What do you want?" she asked as if talking to an annoying little kid.

"Where's Guilmon?" he repeated his question and referred to some evidence "Henry and the others said you had me captive"

"And above all his miss qualities I thought he was honest" Rika mentioned with a small smirk. "Besides...why would I want you? I already have those idiots to cope with"

"AH-HA!!!" Kenta yelled index finger raised his 'idea pose'. "No...that's physically impossible... wouldn't work" Kenta then returned to his 'thinking pose'.

"So you're not the outlaws that kidnapped me?" Takato asked confused. Rika looked at him indignantly "Outlaws?" She than pointed to something Takato should of noticed earlier...a golden star.

"You're a sheriff??"

"Nah"

"Then who are those outlaws, Jeri said that they had ...mentioned me"

"Well, you see, to all of you we _are_ outlaws, but we just said that you must be somewhere in the desert dying from dehydration, or captured by the same people who took that red idiot, I cant believe they bought that ..." A rolled up paper was handed to Takato.

Wanted, the Brainiac and his backstabbing companions

Reward: just get them!

Underneath this all was a _very_ lousy drawing of Henry and next to him were Takato and Jury, behind him was Guilmon. He looked at the picture, one eye was a big black patch and one nostril was five times bigger than the other.

"...but we never got close to him, we just knew he was captured"

"So, you didn't take _Guilmon_" he wasn't very fond of 'red idiot' "and the people who took Guilmon had me?"

"Yes, but, shouldn't _you_ know? You _were_ the one that was kidnapped?"

"_Not_ technically"

"So you ran away?"

"No...I don't think so...why would he?"

"He? ...You...you areMatsuki aren't you?" Rika asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Ah...yes but no" Takato was thinking of the appropriate words so the weird staring scene wouldn't repeat itself.

"Did you kill him?" She asked with a stern look.

"No! But he pushed me in a hole!!" Takato shot back. Everyone looked at him; it was time for a good long explanation.

Thanks to: Seveawen, john on 'da john, Skittles the Sugar Fairy, Fizzy 13, Disturbed One, s, sad, a, ggmon (I have the feeling ur the same person, if not, my humblest apologies)...and of course to AkumaRuki.

Throws confetti Weeee!


End file.
